


The Bracelet

by clarkjoekent



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Choji has a heart of gold, Domestic Fluff, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:14:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26350993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clarkjoekent/pseuds/clarkjoekent
Summary: Choji learned how to make friendship bracelets from Ino and he wanted to try making a matching set for Shikamaru and him.
Relationships: Akimichi Chouji/Nara Shikamaru
Comments: 6
Kudos: 72





	The Bracelet

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write something sweet and fluffy for Shikacho. I really love them as a pair ;w;

"Okay class, today we are going to learn how to braid a rope and tie knots. You never know when you will be in the middle of a mission and you need to make a proper rope. Come up to the front and grab your supplies." Iruka pointed to the 30 boxes full of colorful string, the pile of tape, and scissors.

The children filed haphazardly to the front to grab the string. Naruto grabbed a fistful of neon orange threads, taking most of them back to his seat. Kiba fought Naruto for some of them but lost. Sakura grabbed pink and purple for Ino just in case the blonde couldn’t get her favorite color in time.

Shikamaru and Choji were last in line waiting for the remains.

The Nara didn't care about what colors they had. He would rather be sleeping at his desk, dreaming about the clouds. When they did make it to the desk finally, some red, green and brown was left. Shikamaru took some and passed the rest to his friend.

Choji loved the colors, the green and brown reminded him of his best friend Shikamaru. The red was his own favorite color. He looked at the strings and was reminded that he had learned some basic braiding styles for friendship bracelets from Ino. The strings were perfect for it. He just needed to sneak some out. 

"Okay get into pairs and follow the directions on the board." Iruka drew instructions on the front board as the class split up. Shikamaru’s head was already on the desk, trying to nap the lesson away. Choji gently shook him. 

"You have to do some of the work Shika, or your dad will get upset." Choji nudged his partner who just huffed and sat up.

"Fine I'll do one." Shikamaru took some of the string and followed the instructions, easily twisting and braiding along with whatever Iruka put up on the board. Choji snuck some of the string out of the pile when the teacher’s back was turned, gathering it gently so it wouldn't get tangled, and placed them in his front pocket.

"Good job everyone. Naruto please untie Kiba's hands. Shikamaru you actually did something, I can't wait to tell your father. Shino, using your bugs is cheating." Iruka climbed the steps looking at all of the styles of rope, commenting on the work. "When we come back to class after recess we will work on knots."

Iruka glanced at the clock and dismissed everyone outside to play.

Shikamaru and Choji wandered around the school yard trying to find the perfect place to lay back and watch the sky. It was a cloudless day, making Shikamaru angry. They found some grass hidden in the shade and the Nara fell asleep as soon as his head hit the greenery. .

Choji stayed up wanting to get started on the bracelets while Shikamaru wasn’t looking. He made sure each color had its own row. It was harder than he thought. He was only able to get a quarter of the way done by the time Iruka yelled for them to come inside.

"Shika wake up, recess is over." Choji packed his string into his pocket and gently shook his friend.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru stood up and stretched then put his hand out for Choji to help him up. Sometimes they hold hands the whole way back to class, Shikamaru complains about having cold hands all the time and Choji is the only one who can keep them warm. 

Today, the Nara was in a foul mood so Choji's hands were empty as soon as he was vertical.

"Knots are easy to do as long as you follow these steps." Iruka spoke while the kids went back to their seats. There was a new pile string on the desk tops and the class silently followed along. All energy was spent chasing each other around the playground. 

Class was over as soon as they finished the last knot. Iruka told them all to go home and practice for the test tomorrow. A chorus of groans was released from the class as they meandered out of the classroom.

"Shikamaru stay behind, your father is in my office, he'll be out in a few minutes." Iruka smiled at the grumpy child.

"Whatever." The Nara sat on the bench outside of his teacher's office and waited. Choji usually walks home with Shikamaru and his father, so he waits with him.

Shikamaru closed his eyes and fell asleep again, this time sitting up. Choji was enamored by his friend’s ability to sleep where he stands. Part of him was worried it could be a medical condition but by the looks of the bags under the Nara’s eyes, it was just a product of staying up at night and reading whatever he could get his hands on.

Choji started braiding the bracelets, finishing one by the time Shikaku walked out. The Akimichi hurriedly tucked his project away before his friend was jostled awake.

"Hey little fawn, good job today. Looks like you finally got out of academic probation. A D + is impressive." Shikaku ruffled his son's hair. Choji knew Shikaku was being genuine. He was there when the older Nara told everyone the story of how he was the first of his Clan to ace the Academy. Apparently it was hereditary to do none of the work but pass every test.

"Thanks Dad." Shikamaru adjusted his ponytail after his father messed it up.

"Hey Choji, how are you?" Shikaku asked the Akimichi, he was always asking if he was okay. Choji loved the man like his own father. They walked towards the Nara compound while Choji talked about the day.

Shikaku never cuts him off, he just lets him ramble about the day's events, occasionally smiling and asking questions.

His own father brushed him off when it got too much.

"Are you staying for dinner?" Shikamaru poked Choji, getting his attention.

"No I can't tonight, it's Mama's birthday today." Choji couldn't wait to dig into his mom's favorite meal that his father made her. The only time of year where they get the best and most expensive meat. She deserved it.

"Okay, well I'll see you tomorrow then." Shikamaru and Shikaku stopped in front of Choji's house. It was a few minutes out of the way but Shikaku never seemed to care.

"Bye Shika’! By Shikaku-san!" He waved goodbye and opened his door, the beautiful smell of charred meat and fish hit him and his mouth watered.

When Choji finished eating and helping his father clean up he ran to his room to finish the last bracelet and his mother's birthday card.

Choji had made the bracelets longer than needed but he just wanted to make sure he could knot them. He had them in his pocket while waiting for Shikamaru to meet him at his house.

The Nara was late meeting him but they had plenty of time to get to class. Shikaku made sure his son had enough time to wander around. He liked to explore places and new paths to his friend's house. If he found a quicker path, Shikamaru was sure to tell him about it. 

"Hey Cho'." Shikamaru waved.

"Hello Shika', I have something for you." Choji took the braided rope out and smiled.

"What is it? Homework? Did we have homework?" Shikamaru sounded a little panicked, his father just congratulated him and he's ruining it.

"No! It's a friendship bracelet." Choji took the rope and his friend's hand, gently wrapping the colored string around the Nara's wrist, tying it off with room to grow. He cut the ends off using the scissors he borrowed from class and soon his best friend was wearing the bracelet he made.

"Wow this is cool Cho'. Do you have one?" Shikamaru looked at the new band around his wrist.

"Yeah can you tie it on for me?" Choji took his bracelet out and handed it to Shikamaru. He was careful just like Choji was in tying it on his wrist. He cut the ends and they were smiling ear to ear.

"Matching!" They both bumped their wrists and walked to class.

* * *

"Choji can you lift that beam?" Shikamaru shouted a few feet away. Rebuilding the village was proving to be a huge pain in the ass. Anyone who could move was forced to help regardless of age and rank. Pein destroyed it way beyond anything instantly fixable.

Captain Yamato was only able to rebuild things in bursts, he had to use a lot of chakra just to make one building. That meant sometimes, he had to shout orders from the sidelines while he recovered.

Shikamaru was in charge of one team outside of Captain Yamato's range of sight, dubbed the Morning Team. Choji knew it was killing the man to do any physical labor but he has kept up with everything. Maybe the Fourth War shook him out of his laziness. 

Shikaku was watching and laughing, Choji could feel it.

"Yeah, I need you to move!" Choji used his Expansion Jutsu and lifted the beam with ease. He placed it where it needed to go and then shrank down to normal size.

"Thanks Cho'." Shikamaru's tired smile was thrown at his best friend and they bumped wrists, a tradition they haven’t dropped since the day they donned the bracelets. The bracelets are in the worst shape but both men refused to cut them off. The only time the bracelet was removed was when Choji had to add a bead to his with the Akimichi seal so it would grow with him when he uses his Expansion Jutsu. Thankfully his father caught it before he broke the bracelet or lost his wrist.

"Ya know Shika', I can make new ones." Choji followed his friend to his house once the Captain sent their team home. Shikamaru was exhausted, Choji saw the way he slumped while he walked. His normal bored stroll was now a fast walk home, in a rush to crash.

"Why? Just because I can't see the colors now and it kind of smells, does not mean we need new ones. Are you staying the night?" Shikamaru was already at his front door. Choji smiled and nodded.

"Sure." Choji followed his best friend into his house, he bought it when his mother decided it was time for him to go out on his own. It was large and empty, boxes were still stacked high. He had no time to unpack between training Naruto and rebuilding. Kakashi was stepping in as Hokage next week and now Shikamaru was going to be his right hand man.

The time the two of them had together was drastically shrinking and Choji hated it.

"Come on Cho' I'm cold and I have no idea where my blankets are." Shikamaru was already in bed, he patted the space he saved for Choji and waited. He was in sweatpants and no shirt. Choji chuckled.

"Maybe you would be less cold if you wore a shirt."

"Why when I have you?" Shikamaru wiggled closer to Choji's body when the man finally shed his armor and flopped down on the bed.

"One day I won't be able to keep you warm."

"Maybe when we both die, but that's like a trillion years from now."

Choji laughed, wrapping his arms around the Nara and soon they both fell asleep.

Unfortunately, they woke up to Choji's growling stomach. The Akimichi felt bad but they didn't eat much all day and he used a lot of chakra. It was good for both of them to eat.

Choji raided the Nara's fridge which only had eggs and vegetables on their last leg. Egg and vegetables it was then. Choji dug around the unlabeled boxes to find a pan, oddly enough it was in with the blankets. He cleaned the pan and began to cook while Shikamaru watched from the table.

"You know you have to go food shopping, this is pathetic."

"I would if I had a day off. I don't know how Dad did it."

"He had your mother to help." Choji placed the hot food in front of Shikamaru and then got his own plate.

"I should get someone who cooks for me, too."

"You need love somewhere in there Shika. Someone who loves you and cooks you food."

"And who keeps me warm."

"Someone who loves you, cooks for you, and keeps you warm." Choji listed off the things and then sat down across from Shikamaru, missing the smirk on the Nara's face.

"Yeah. I wonder where I'll find someone like that."

Choji shoveled some food in and thought about Shikamaru's options. They were pretty slim. "Someone like that is rare."

"Really really rare. It's a good thing I found the one person like that in the whole world." Shikamaru snorted, his plate was clean and he was watching as Choji finished off his own dinner.

"Who?" Choji was genuinely surprised Shikamaru went out to find someone. The Nara's answer to anyone who asked him about a mate was, 'They'll fall in my lap soon enough, don't rush it.'

Shikamaru leaned forward to reach into his sweatpants pocket, pulling out a braided cord complete with an Akimichi bead. "Choji, you cook for me and you keep me warm. The question here is, do you love me?"

Choji nearly choked on his food, surprised and elated at the same time. "Of course!"

"Love me enough to marry me and spend the rest of our lives together?" Shikamaru put the cord down in front of the Akimichi with a smile.

Choji glanced at the intricately braided rope and then back up at the Nara. "Who did it?"

Shikamaru huffed, crossing his arms in disbelief. "I did after forcing Sakura and Ino to teach me."

Choji laughed. "Of course I love you and yes I'll marry you, lazy ass." Choji slid the bracelet back towards the Nara so he could tie it on his wrist.

"Do you have one?" Choji loved the bright colors - burgundy, dark green, and light brown - and the way he braided it. It was fatter than the one Choji made them as kids. Somehow Shikamaru found the time to do it when the Akimichi wasn't looking.

"Yeah, but you have to tie it on." Shikamaru took his own out and Choji returned the favor. "We will have rings though at the wedding. Mom insisted that the bracelets won't last."

"These lasted 10 years." Choji pulled at the older rope, he was happy that they didn’t break during the war.

"And they will last for 100 more. She's weird." Shikamaru walked over to Choji and kissed the Akimichi on his cheek. "Now back to bed." There was a wink and before Choji knew it the Nara was pulling him back to his room, likely to snuggle again.

Or from the way Shikamaru was looking at him, maybe something more, whatever it was Choji was just happy to be with the man he’s loved for years. 


End file.
